GUIDELINES FOR DRIVECAM INSTALLATION TO MEET NY DOT REQUIREMENTS

Transcription

1 GUIDELINES FOR DRIVECAM INSTALLATION TO MEET NY DOT REQUIREMENTS DRAFT Document Version 0.1 File: Measurement_Guidelines_NYDOT.doc Last saved on: Jan17, 2008 by ksung

2 1.0 Introduction: This document describes how to determine the DriveCam mounting location on a vehicle windshield based on the NYDOT requirements. Due to the number of different brands and types of vehicles involved, a simple method has been devised. The measurement device has to be readily available and easily transportable for the numerous installers out there. The suggested method here uses a laser level so it can be easily applied for different vehicles regardless the interior geometry. It was agreed between NYDOT and DriveCam the following rules can be used to determine where to mount the camera on the windshield. At 5 degrees above the eye level of a 95 th percentile man sitting in the farthest position in the driver seat from the steering wheel and at the highest position of the seat, a boundary is swept by a line rotating about the vertical axis connecting to center point of a line formed by the intersection of the seat and lower seat back. Above this boundary, DriveCam can be mounted. 2.0 Definitions: Center Line of Windshield: On the interior surface of the windshield, this is an imaginary line where the interior surface of the windshield intersects with the center line of the vehicle. On many buses, there could be a pillar there. There might be an advantage to have a dark pillar there so the laser dot can be seen easily. If not it would be wise to tape a piece of dark paper with markings on it to the windshield so the laser dot can be seen easily and its position can be remembered.

3 Rear Center point of Driver Seat: When the driver seat is pushed all the way back and lifted to the highest possible position, this point is the center point of a line formed by intersecting the seating surface with the lower seat back surface. 3.0 Tools needed for measurement: Craftsman 10-in Digital Multi-functional Level with Laser Trac (model # ) (CLICK ON PICTURE TO FOLLOW LINK IF MORE INFORMATION IS DESIRED.) Useful features of Craftsman 10-in Digital Multi-functional Level:

4 Zero button: allows user to set a 0 reference, which will be the floor of the vehicle (assuming the floor is designed to be level when the vehicle is on level ground). This is useful when the bus is not parked on perfect level ground. Beeping sound at 0 degrees and 90 degrees: When turned on, the level beeps when it reaches 0 or 90 degrees. This is useful because the user does not need to look at the readout when he/she is trying to reach the desired angle. Additional setup for the laser level: A plumb line should be attached to the laser level as shown in the picture below. The length of the plumb line is based on the eye level height of a 95 th percentile man from the seat. The string used should not be elastic. One should tie a loop through the hole that has a vertical bubbler. Make sure the loop tied to the level is big enough so the line can be swung out to the back side so the level can still sit flat on some surface. 4.0 Measurement Procedures:

5 1. Lay the level on the floor of the vehicle. Have the laser end point towards the Centerline of the Windshield and the back end of the level point towards the Rear Center Point of Driver Seat in a general sense as shown in the picture below. The direction of the laser level does not have to be exact because the error would be small even if it off slightly. The important part is to have the level sit flat on the floor. 2. Zero the level readout by hitting the ZERO button on the level. This makes the floor of the vehicle at 0 reference. 3. Keeping the tail end of the level on the floor. Lift up the level until it reads 5.0 degrees exactly. At this point, hit the ZERO button on the level again to make the new 5 degree plane the 0 reference. What this allows is that the level would beep when it reaches this angle.

6 4. Make sure the sound feature is on in the level. Lift the Level with the plumb line over the driver seat and have the center of the plumb bob hit the Rear Center Point of Driver Seat. Lift up on the level so the plumb bob almost leaves the seat. Point the laser at the Center Line of Windshield.

7 5. Pivot the Level up and down slightly while the plumb bob tip still barely touches the Rear Center point of Driver Seat until a beep is heard. At this point, where the laser hits would be the 5 degree line specified by NY DOT. Above this line, the DriveCam should be installed. The installer would have to make a judgment on how this position would work with the sun visor and other items on the windshield that may interfere with the camera. Note: There is slight error introduced by the plumb line if the vehicle is not perfectly level because the assumption for the plumb line was the vehicle is on level ground. This is usually negligible but if the vehicle is way off being level then maybe a rigid rod should be used instead of a plumb line.